Benefits of Playing

Handball provides you with a great workout.
Handball is super for hand-eye coordination.
Handball is a fast-paced game that keeps you on your toes.
Playing handball helps you with your agility and your reaction time.
Handball is fun to play with friends.

Unit Safety

Handball is played in close quarters, which makes safety an issue. The fact that opponents have to learn to run around each other safely, and that one’s court is adjacent to other courts makes collisions probable.

The Game

The game is played by two (singles) or four (doubles) players. It can be “unofficially” played by three players (cutthroat).
A team first scoring 21 points, or 11 points in the 3rd game “tiebreaker” wins a game. The side first winning two games wins the match.
Only ONE HAND, at any one time, may be used in striking the ball. The use of any portion of the body except one hand when hitting the ball is illegal and results in a handout or point as the case may be. Each time a serve or shot is attempted, the ball may only be struck once.
Only the serving side may score points.
Once the ball is in play (after the ball has been legally served and returned), the players or teams alternate hits by striking the ball either before or after the first floor bounce. In doubles, either partner can hit the ball. The ball must hit the wall first and rebound into the playing zone. When a side fails to make a legal return, an “out” or point is scored.

Technical Fouls

Profanity will result in a loss of point for the offending team. If he/she has no points, he/she will start with a negative one. A second violation in the same game will result in a forfeit.
Excessive or hard striking, throwing or kicking of the ball between rallies will result in a loss of point for the offending team. If he/she has no points, he/she will start with a negative one. A second violation in the same game will result in a forfeit.
Goggles and gloves must be worn.

Failure to wear appropriate eyewear properly will result in a loss of point for the offending team. If he/she has no points, he/she will start with a negative one. A second violation in the same game will result in a forfeit.

Serve

Officially the first serve is determined by the toss of a coin. We decided first serve by serving the ball; whichever ball landed closest to the short serve line had the choice. In doubles, the side starting each game is allowed only one “hand-out” (a person’s turn of service). Thereafter, during the game, both players on each team must serve.
The server must start and complete service within the “service zone.” The ball must be bounced on the floor and struck on the first rebound. The ball must hit the wall first and then rebound into the “receiving zone” (the receiver can hit the ball before it hits the floor in the receiving zone). In doubles, the partner of the server must stand on the X until the served ball passes the short serve line. A violation is called a “foot fault”.
A FAULT is an illegally served ball that involves a penalty on the server. If a player serves two faults in succession, he/she loses the serve. A serve that does not rebound from the front wall and land between the short line and the front wall is a fault (SHORT SERVE). A serve that lands beyond the long line is a fault (LONG SERVE). In doubles if the server’s partner is not on the X, it is a fault.
An OUT SERVE (or “handout” in doubles) is an illegal serve in which the server loses his serve. “Out serves” include (a) serves in which the ball does not hit the wall first, (b) serves that land outside the side lines (wide), (c) serves that rebound back and hit the server, (d) the server completely missing the ball in his service attempt, and (e) two fault serves hit in succession.
The server continues to serve until put out.
A legally served ball that travels between the legs of the server is an automatic hinder serve.
In doubles, when either partner serves out of order, the points scored by that server will be subtracted and an out serve will be called. If the second server serves out of order, the out serve will apply to the first server and the second server will resume serving. If the player designated as the first server serves out of order, an out serve will be called.

Receiving Service

· The receiver must stand behind the service line until the served ball passes the short line.

· The receiver must hit the ball either on the fly or after the ball hits the floor one time.

· The service return must hit the wall first and rebound into the playing zone.

Hinders

A hinder is a phase of play wherein there is accidental interference or obstruction of the flight of the ball. There is no penalty. The rally stops and is replayed.
The “hinder” is called when (a) a player interferes with an opponent in such a way as to prevent him from having a fair chance to play the ball, (b) a returned ball strikes an opponent before hitting the floor or the wall (assuming the ball had a chance of returning to the wall legally), (c) when there is accidental interference by a player from another court, and (d) if the ball hits a crack in the wall or a hinge and takes a weird bounce.

Other Situations

Unsportsmanlike Blocking or Pushing – When a player is hindered in an unsportsmanlike manner, it shall be an out or point against the offender.
Purposely Being Hit – If a player deliberately moves into the way of and is struck by a ball just hit by his opponent, it shall be an out or point against the player being hit.
Contact by Ball – If any player catches, stops, or is touched by a ball rebounding from the front wall, it is an out or point against that player.
Ball Hitting Partner – In doubles, if a player hits the ball and it hits his partner, it is an out or point against that side.
More than one Swing – While the ball is in play, if a player swings at and does not touch the ball, the player may continue his/her attempt to again play the ball before the ball’s second floor bounce.

Rules of Sportsmanship

If you are not sure about a call, give the benefit of the doubt to your opponent. If there is disagreement as to whether a shot was good or not, “play it over.”
Never try to distract an opponent. Do not talk while the ball is in play. The only exception is in doubles, when it is permissible for partners to call “mine” or “yours.”
If an illegal shot is made, such as hitting the ball on the wrist or hitting the ball after it bounced twice, immediately call it against yourself.
After a rally is over, congratulate your opponent on a well-hit shot.
Accept your opponent’s judgment when he calls faults and hinders.
When returning a ball to your opponent after a rally, always bounce the ball to him/her.
Look back to make sure the receiver is ready before serving.
The server should call out the score before each serve.
Try your best to avoid body contact with your opponent. Never push or shove your opponent in your attempt to make a return. If you see you will have to contact him/her in order to play the ball, stop and call a hinder instead.
It is your duty to move out of your opponent’s way so he has a fair chance to play the ball.
If interference occurs, play should stop at that point. A hinder should not be called at the end of a rally if additional shots are made after the interference.
Call a hinder only when you are certain that if your opponent had not been in your way, you could have reached the ball in time to make a legal return.
Shake hands with your opponent after each game.
Fair play is always the rule.

Court Division and Positioning

In doubles there will be less confusion and less chance of the partners running into each other in their attempt to make the return if the following guidelines are followed:

When receiving serve, start side by side. If the server is very good and is varying the depth of the serve, start up and back.
As soon as possible, move to the up and back positioning by communicating with each other as to which player plays where.

Front Wall

Short Serve Line

Service Zone

Long Line

Service Marker

Receiving Zone